


I Pour Light Into You

by motherofmercury



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child - Thorne & Rowling
Genre: Angst, Banter, Blindness, Boys In Love, Cuddling, Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, Saint Mungo's, Scorbus, Scorbusfest, Snippets, a surprisingly large amount of fluff, albus is good at his job but makes bad choices, creature toxins, fresh bat spleen, i promise there is actually more fluff than angst in here, potions research, scorpius would do anything for albus, slice of life style, they are each other's light
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-30
Updated: 2020-08-30
Packaged: 2021-03-06 14:13:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,530
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26190211
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/motherofmercury/pseuds/motherofmercury
Summary: Albus is a top Magizoologist and is assigned a new and exotic creature that spits toxins, landing him in St. Mungo’s.  His husband, Scorpius, is the Healer in charge of his recovery, leading to some small angst and much hair stroking.
Relationships: Scorpius Malfoy/Albus Severus Potter
Comments: 18
Kudos: 75
Collections: Scorbus Fest 2020





	I Pour Light Into You

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much anon for this fascinating prompt (I could’ve done more angst, but I hope you like it anyway!) and of course to the wonderful mods of scorbusfest! Infinite thanks to the incredible bookofspells for the speedy beta and of course to the equally incredible ringelchen for saving my ass last minute as an alpha. Much love also goes to the wonderfully encouraging duo that is penny and ivy. I love you four endlessly <3

Albus groaned as he looked up at the roster for the day. He knew he shouldn’t have drank so much last night, but he always had the best time at the cousin and co. family parties. And Freddy’s drink refilling charm certainly didn’t help matters. But now he was paying for his sins. Every pound of his heartbeat rattled around his head like the forges of hell. Scorpius had been smart with his lemonade, somehow avoiding every prank-potion spiked drink that had appeared, but Albus had never been the best at making healthy choices. Like not drinking. 

He’d been put down to work with the exotic new creature they’d got in recently. It was rated XXXXX and no one else had been able to handle it sufficiently to get its injuries healed, so they’d put Albus down for the Saturday morning. He supposed it was his own fault for specialising in high risk creatures, but the sodding beast could’ve been a little more considerate and not gone on a rampage on a Friday night. Saturday morning cleanups were always the worst. Especially Magizoology cleanups. 

\- - -

Scorpius shot out of his seat as the Patronus approached him, smoothing down his crumpled, lime-green Healer robes hastily. The Patronus was the slinking lynx from the head of the Magical Accidents and Catastrophes department.

“New patient just admitted. Toxins in eyes, persistent blindness and facial burns. Patient name: Albus Potter.”

Scorpius froze. Albus Potter?  _ His _ Albus Potter? Some primal instinct took over his body, sending him sprinting down the hall to the M. A. C. ward. He slowed to a more professional walk and approached the bed with at least a dozen Healers bustling around it. He forced himself to take a deep, cleansing breath, and then walked over.

“So what have we got?” He asked Ruby, the nurse who’d brought the patient in.

“Toxins from a rare beast to the face- hey, Scorp, do you really think you should take on this patient? It’s a conflict of interest.”

Scorpius steeled his emotions and retorted, “I think it’s hardly a ‘conflict’ if I want him to recover quickly.” He picked up the clipboard at the end of the bed and busied himself by flicking through the details. Up to that point he had intentionally avoided looking at the prone figure in the bed. There was nothing Scorpius hated more than seeing his wonderful, vibrant Albus in a state of pain or injury.

\- - -

Albus groaned and tried to sit up, reaching up to rub his gummy eyes, only to find he couldn’t move his hands. He blinked a few times, hoping to clear his vision, but the white blur persisted. And so did the itch. He struggled for a moment, realising his hands must be bound to the bed somehow, but not understanding why. 

“Hello?” He croaked out.

“Albus?” That was Scorpius’ voice. “You’re awake?” The voice moved closer.

“Scorp?” He cleared his throat violently, trying again. “What’s going on?”

Albus felt a hand in his hair, swirling the strands around and combing it off his forehead. He heard the bed creak a little and felt it sink as Scorpius sat down beside him. 

“You had toxins spat in your face from that new creature you were caring for. It appears-” Here Albus felt the gentle shiver of Scorpius’ magic over his head, and he figured his husband must have cast some kind of spell. “It appears your vision has been impaired to the point of semi-blindness. We bound your hands so you wouldn’t rub your eyes.” The hand in his hair stilled for a moment. “But now you’re awake- Al, can you actually see anything?”

Albus blinked a few more times, trying to clear the blur. “I- it’s just kind of. Blurry. And mostly white, really. It makes me want to rub my eyes to clear them.” He was starting to get anxious. He could feel his heart pounding hard against his ribs and his breathing was starting to quicken as his palms prickled.

“You shouldn’t rub your eyes, but I know that’s your natural urge. So we’ll have to keep your hands bound until you get used to it.”

“But why-” Albus thought his heart might just stop beating at any moment. “Why would I need to get used to it? You can heal me, right?!” He tossed his head frantically, trying desperately to see his husband. “Scorpius?” The hand on his head wasn’t moving.

“We-” he heard Scorpius stop and take a deep breath and then let it whoosh out again. His voice was still shaky. “We aren’t sure exactly what was in the toxins, Albus. So it may take a while to figure out how to reverse the effects.”

Albus scrunched up his face and tried not to let the stinging tears fall. “So.” He took his own deep breath. “I might never see properly again.”

“I didn’t say that!”

He felt Scorpius wrap an arm across his chest protectively. “I’ll figure it out. You know I will.” Scorpius’ voice was fierce. “But for now I’ll unbind your arms. Don’t rub your eyes.”

Albus could only make a small noise of anxiety. He’d really hoped he’d get less anxious as he got older, but he had not, if this was any indication. Or perhaps this just counted as an extraordinary circumstance. 

He closed his eyes as he felt Scorpius’ hand resume its swirling and stroking in his hair. 

“I’ll find a way,” Scorpius murmured. “I have to go check on other patients now,” his voice still didn’t sound normal, “but I will be back soon. I love you.”

“I love you, too,” Albus whispered. He felt Scorpius’ gentle kiss to his forehead before the hand moved away, leaving him feeling oddly bereft and cold.

\- - -

Scorpius was sitting in the break room an hour later, with his head in his hands. He was contemplating what he could even do for his husband when the head of the M. A. C. department sat down next to him. 

“Here, Scorp.” Healer Abernathy handed him a Chocolate Frog card. “This fell out of Potter’s robes when he arrived. I figured, you know, you might like to give it back to him.” 

Scorpius flipped it over. It was of Harry. His heart twinged at the idea that Albus carried around a tiny portrait of his father, especially after all the pain they’d caused each other when Albus was younger. It smote him to think Albus had really and truly healed that rift. 

“Anyway,” Abernathy clapped him on the shoulder and stood. “Don’t get too hung up on this. You still have other patients who need you.”

Scorpius nodded, eyes fixed on the Chocolate Frog card. “Right.” He stood up a little unsteadily, making his way back to Albus’ room. 

He pulled the curtain aside from the bed quietly, gazing in on his husband. Albus was still the most beautiful man he’d ever seen. The skin around his eyes was red and a little shiny, almost like a burn scar, but it looked like it would heal up nicely and be back to normal with a little skin growth potion. The worst part about Albus’ partial blindness was that his eyes looked entirely normal. If Scorpius hadn’t read the reports and examined Albus himself several times, he would have had a hard time believing those piercing green eyes couldn’t see. Scorpius watched as Albus opened his eyes and they fixed unerringly on Scorpius’ own.

“How do you do that?” Scorpius asked softly, sitting down next to Albus and running his fingers through his husband’s hair.

“Do what?” Albus asked in return.

“Even though you can’t see me, you always seem to meet my eyes perfectly when you look at me.”

Albus smiled, perhaps a little sadly. Scorpius wanted to kiss that sadness away and gather Albus up in his arms. But that would be entirely unprofessional. Scorpius contented himself by stroking the soft strands of dark hair on Albus’ head. Which was probably not much better, but he couldn’t bring himself to care.

“I can feel your magic when you come near me. It sort of tingles and shimmers around you.”

“Like an aura?” Scorpius asked curiously.

“Mmm, kinda, I guess. It’s not a colour though, just like a kind of sense of where you are. I don’t know how to explain this…” he trailed off.

Scorpius frowned a little and continued swirling his hand through Albus’ hair. “So you don’t like,  _ see _ the magic? You just kind of know it’s there?”

“Yeah, I guess.” He scrunched up his nose adorably. Scorpius was hard pressed not to plant a kiss on the end of it. “I suppose I’m just so used to the feel of your magic now that I know when it’s you.”

“Well, we have been best friends for about a million years now.”

Albus let out a soft chuckle and reached up to grasp Scorpius’ hand.

“Oh!” Albus’ hand in his suddenly reminded Scorpius of the Chocolate Frog card in his other hand. “Healer Abernathy found this Chocolate Frog card of Harry that fell out of your pocket. I assume you want it back?”

Albus’ face flushed a pretty pinkish colour that had Scorpius smiling fondly again. It was quite a challenge to embarrass Albus, so this was a rare and not at all unpleasant surprise.

“Yes please,” he said quietly. 

“Here,” Scorpius took Albus’ other hand in his own and placed the card into it. “Might I ask why you carry around a moving miniature portrait of your father?”

Albus’ flush deepened, much to Scorpius’ delight.

Albus cleared his throat a little. “Dad has always refused to have a magical portrait done of himself; you know that. But when I got this Chocolate Frog card I just put it in my pocket, and I’ve sort of carried it around ever since. I like to talk to it during the day if I need a little advice or need to rant to someone other than you. I know it doesn’t really have my dad’s mind or anything, but it’s comforting, anyway.”

“I think that’s lovely.” Scorpius squeezed Albus’ hand gently, wrapping his fingers around Albus’. 

“I know for a fact James and Lily carry them around too, so don’t you go thinking I’m the only pathetic one in the family.” Albus gave him a crooked smile, green eyes still hauntingly meeting his own.

“Hey, it’s not pathetic at all! Don’t do that.” Scorpius rubbed his thumb along the back of Albus’ hand. “You know full well that I would do the exact same thing if my dad ever got a Chocolate Frog card. 

Albus frowned a little, again. “Honestly, your dad  _ should _ have a Chocolate Frog card for all the work he’s done with Wizard-Muggle interrelations. Especially with the placing of unwanted Magical children into decent foster homes after your mum died.” Albus snorted. “I know Dad was annoyed by the amount of times Draco asked for his input on foster care.”

“Yeah, well. Some people just can’t get over the past. And I don’t think that sort of prejudice will ever change.”

It was Albus’ turn to squeeze Scorpius’ hand in comfort. 

“If I wasn’t a Magizoologist, I would have worked for the Chocolate Frog card company.”

Scorpius laughed and stroked Albus’ hair fondly. “You would have been spectacular at it.”

“As much as I want you to stay here,” Albus began, “don’t you have other patients to check on?”

“You’re right,” Scorpius let out a deep sigh. “But I’d much rather be spending my time looking for a way to fix your eyesight.”

Albus gave him a tight smile. “We’ve got time.”

Scorpius nodded, forgetting for a moment that Albus couldn’t see him. But the reassuring squeeze Albus gave his hand sent a tingle up his spine. Maybe Albus really could feel him - or his magic - even if he couldn’t see it.

\- - -

Albus resisted the urge to pull Scorpius back towards him as his husband’s fingers slipped out of his grasp. It truly pained Albus that he couldn’t watch the other man walk away, but he contented himself with holding on to the odd sensation that Scorpius’ warm, tingly magic was drifting away from him in an amorphous blob. Distinctly odd. Although, Albus was beginning to think that perhaps being unable to see was connecting him to a deeper level of magic. Something unexplained, that most Wizards spent their whole lives trying to access. Albus had never been interested in that sort of thing. What was the use of having a deeper appreciation of magic if he’d never be able to see his husband’s face again? But this had been thrust upon Albus in one burning spray of misfortune. It was beyond frustrating. 

\- - -

Hours later, Scorpius was holed up in St. Mungo’s extensive research library, burning the midnight oil in his search for something to help Albus. Ruby was keeping him company during her break, but even with two of them working they weren’t turning up very many useful results.

“Merlin, I wish I hadn’t picked up so many night shifts this week. I just can’t sleep well during the day and then that makes me tired all night.” Ruby groaned, rubbing her eyes. She was sitting opposite Scorpius, a massive tome open in front of her.

Scorpius hummed in agreement, then quickly pinched his nose, holding back a sneeze. “Ugh, it’s so dusty back here, no wonder hardly anyone interns as a researcher anymore. I certainly wouldn’t want to spend time here if I wasn’t being paid.”

“Feel free to bring a duster down next time.” Ruby grinned as Scorpius wrinkled up his nose. He’d never enjoyed cleaning, and using magic to dust the books was potentially damaging to some of the older resources the hospital possessed.

Scorpius was one sentence away from giving up and curling up on a couch somewhere to sleep for a bit when his eyes flicked to a potion recipe.

“Hey, Rubes, look at this.” He slid the book across the table to her.

“ _ Creature Toxin Elixir _ ,” she read. “Well, it certainly sounds promising, if a little too easy.”

Scorpius was practically bouncing in his seat at the prospect of there being something as simple as a potion that could heal Albus. “Read it! Does it sound legitimate?” He leaned forward eagerly.

“Hmmm, I don’t know- fresh bat spleen can be awfully hard to get, especially since it doesn’t stay fresh for very long.” Ruby had specialised in Potions in her Healer training, and she had become Scorpius’ go to for all things potions related that were outside his own expertise. Over the years it had ranged between everything from hair care potions to perfecting the Draught of Living Death (it was often used as a substitute for spells to put patients into a magically induced coma, should the need arise).

“That’s no problem!” Scorpius said excitedly. “There are plenty of bats in the attic at my dad’s house. I can go get one tomorrow!”

“Well, in that case, it does sound as if it would counteract the effect of the toxins.” She grunted softly in appreciation. “The unicorn hair is a clever touch- we have a few in stock, but you’re going to need Abernathy’s permission to try this, you know.”

“I know, I know, but we have to try  _ something! _ And now that we know there’s a potion that might work I can’t possibly sit by and let Albus suffer needlessly.” Scorpius jumped up and grabbed the book, sticking a finger between the covers to mark the page. “I’ll go find Abernathy!”

Ruby looked a little dubious, but smiled at Scorpius, nonetheless. “Do you want me to come with you?”

“No, it’s okay. You should take a nap before the rest of your shift.”

Ruby’s smile turned grateful and Scorpius grinned back as she suppressed a yawn. “Alright, good luck!”

“Thanks!” Scorpius called over his shoulder, already halfway out the door. He would show the recipe to Healer Abernathy, then he would owl his dad about getting a bat. And then he would brew the potion and heal Albus. He just had to get Abernathy to agree to his plan.

He practically ran through the halls, the weight of the book barely slowing him down. This could be it! He was floating on sunshine, he couldn’t wait to see the look on Albus’ face when he realised Scorpius had found a way to fix it. 

“Malfoy!” Barked Healer Abernathy. “What do you think you’re doing, running through the halls like that?!”

“I think I’ve found a potion that could heal Albus!” Scorpius skidded to a halt in front of his superior, elation deflating slightly at Abernathy’s stern expression. “I- I mean, um Potter. My patient.”

“Quite right.” Abernathy’s expression softened a little. “Here, let me look at the recipe you’ve found.”

Scorpius handed over the book and was quick to add, “Ruby looked it over and reckons it’ll work.”

“Hmmm, it does look like it might work, but fresh bat spleen?”

“That’s not a problem, I know where we can get some.”

“Right. Well, Scorpius, it is dangerous to try new potions without extensive testing first.”

“Yes, I know and I am willing to wait a few days to get a test done. I know it’s a complicated process, but surely having a new potion that reverses the effects of magical creature toxins will be a huge benefit to St. Mungo’s! Do you know how many novice Magiozoologists we get coming in with various bites and burns from creatures’ acids and venoms? It’s-”

“Yes, I do know. I’ll see what I can do. You see about that fresh bat spleen.”

“I will! Oh thank you so much! I can’t wait to tell Albus the good news, he’ll be thrilled and-” 

“Healer Malfoy!” Healer Abernathy cut through Scorpius’ excited tirade sternly. “You know better than to get a patient’s hopes up before the necessary tests have been run! See to the fresh bat spleen, and then go home. I don’t want to see you here for at least six hours.”

“Right, yes. Okay.” Scorpius deflated again.

Abernathy looked at him more kindly and put a hand on his shoulder. “Good work finding the recipe. I’m sure you make Albus very proud of your work.”

Scorpius beamed and watched as Healer Abernathy turned and walked down the hall. He spun on his own heel and hurried towards Albus’ room. Scorpius wouldn’t tell him about the potion yet, but he could still offer his husband the comfort of his presence, if nothing else.

\- - -

Albus sat up a little as the door to his room clicked open. He relaxed back into his pillow as he recognised the familiar warmth to the magic. It was Scorpius. 

“Hey,” Albus smiled warmly at his husband.

“Hey,” Scorpius returned, sitting down on the bed beside Albus. The mattress sank a little at their combined weight. “How do you do that?”

“Do what? Know it’s you?”

“Yeah, it’s kinda creepy.”

Albus felt Scorpius’ hand curl into his hair. He really enjoyed the way Scorpius had started doing that more and more while Albus was stuck at St. Mungo’s. It was comforting, and it helped Albus know exactly where Scorpius was, and, weirdly enough, the way Scorpius stroked Albus’ hair was a surprisingly good indicator of how his husband was feeling.

“I already told you, I can just sort of sense your magic. It’s very distinctly you.” Albus grinned. “Plus you’re the only Healer who wears their Italian leather loafers to work.”

“Hey,” Scorpius nudged him playfully with his elbow. “You bought me these shoes!”

“I never said they weren’t good shoes,” Albus smirked.

Scorpius hummed sceptically and then fell silent. But Albus could tell by the slightly agitated swirling motion of Scorpius’ hand on his head that he had something important on his mind.

“What’s up?” He asked.

“Hmm? Oh, it’s nothing,” Albus felt Scorpius shrug against his own shoulder, but he didn’t believe the casualness of Scorpius’ flippant dismissal.

“Scorpius, we’ve been friends too long for that to work on me.”

Scorpius gave a small laugh, taking Albus’ hand with the one that wasn’t in his hair. “You’re right. It is something, but I’m not supposed to tell you yet.”

All Albus had to do was wait a minute or so in silence before Scorpius cracked.

“Fine, we’ve found a potion that might heal your eyes, but I’m not supposed to get your hopes up! We have no idea if it will actually work. But Abernathy agreed to test it for me. So I suppose we’ll know in a few days.”

Albus nodded slowly, letting the information sink in. There was a potion that might heal him, but they didn’t know yet if it would work. But there was the possibility. He’d be able to see again- “I’d be able to see you again.” He said softly.

“Oh Al.” Scorpius whispered, wrapping his arms around him. “I wish this hadn’t happened to you. Or to anyone. Why can’t the world just be perfect and lovely and full of fairies and sunshine.”

“Well, it is full of fairies, but they’re not nearly as nice as you’d expect.” Albus breathed in Scorpius’ slightly tangy scent, enjoying the sense of closeness he’d been missing. “But your existence makes it so much more beautiful and precious,” he replied quietly. “A world without you would be a pitch black pit. You pour light into our world.” He nuzzled his nose into Scorpius’ neck. “Thank you, Scorp.” 

“Most of the time it feels like I’m wading through darkness, too. And I would be lost without you, too, you know,” Scorpius parried. “We balance. And I’ll do everything in my power to make this potion work.”

“I love you,” Albus whispered.

“I love you, too.”

\- - -

Albus heard the clack of Scorpius’ shoes on the linoleum down the hall before he felt the shimmering magic of his presence. He didn’t call out to him, however, because Scorpius’ signature clack and shimmer was accompanied by other footfalls. Albus wanted to shrink away from the other magics he could feel, purely because they were not Scorpius and he felt so vulnerable without his sight. There was nothing inherently bad about the magics swirling around him. Albus was just too in his head.

“Hey, love,” Scorpius began. 

A stern voice that could only be Healer Abernathy quickly continued with, “We’ve had the potion tested and it has been deemed safe, so I am willing to let Healer Malfoy administer it to you.”

“And Ruby is here to monitor the effects,” Scorpius added. Albus felt the bed sink a little as Scorpius sat beside him. “Open up.”

Albus was a little perturbed at having to drink a largely unknown potion in such an ungainly way. He sat up a little more and opened his mouth, imagining just how stupid he probably looked. Scorpius held the potion to his lips and gently tipped it into his mouth. Albus spluttered after swallowing the first sip.

“Merlin, it tastes like stinksap!” He reached up to take the bottle from Scorpius, downing the rest in a healthy swig to get it over with. 

He heard Scorpius snort and then the bottle was being taken from his hands.

“Can you feel anything?” Came Ruby’s voice.

“Uhhh, it’s like I swallowed a gallon of icy water, but apart from that, no.”

Albus felt Scorpius’ hand take up its usual place in his hair. “How are your eyes?” he asked.

Albus blinked a few times to see if the blurry white would clear itself out of his vision, but he couldn’t tell if anything was actually happening or not. “Still can’t see.”

There was some silence and Albus wished desperately that he were able to see the exchanges happening between the three Healers. Was it meant to take immediate effect? Was it not going to work? He squirmed a little under the sudden intensity to the magic in the air. 

“Malfoy, we’ll leave you with your patient. Do let us know if any changes occur.”

Albus could feel the nod Scorpius gave through the hand still on his head. Two pairs of footsteps clacked out of the room, taking their swirling magics with them. 

Scorpius shifted his weight and then pushed himself up properly onto the bed, curling into Albus’ side. “I’m sorry, Albus.” His voice was very soft.

“Hey, what are you sorry for? You did your best, and you have been so amazing.” He wrapped his arms around his husband, taking the chance to reverse the roles and stroke Scorpius’ silky hair. Albus wrinkled his nose a little, “Scorp, you need a shower.”

Scorpius snorted again, curling tighter to Albus. “You’re a fine one to talk, Mr. Hospital Stench.”

“Okay, you have a point.”

Scorpius laughed quietly, the vibrations running through Albus’ chest. “I’m just going to lie here for a minute, okay?”

“Okay,” Albus replied. There was nothing he’d like more. It didn’t take very long for Scorpius’ breathing to slow until Albus could tell he’d fallen asleep. He closed his eyes too, and let himself drift off.

\- - -

Albus opened his eyes the next morning, his hand already running through the pale strands of Scorpius’ hair as he lay curled up in Albus’ arms.

Hair he could see.

Albus paused for a moment, too afraid to blink, lest his vision blur up again. But eventually his body took over, forcing him to blink his stinging eyes. A grin stole over his face as his vision remained unimpaired and he took in Scorpius’ sleeping form in his arms. His hair was not just strands of pale blonde, Albus suddenly realised. But rather it held an assortment of golden hints of lemon and honey and goldenrod and shadowed ochre where it lay thick against Scorpius’ brow. 

Albus could see. He could see his beautiful Scorpius and the pressing itch in his eyes was gone. His grin widened at the thought of seeing his family again. They’d come to visit a few times, but Albus had hated that he couldn’t see them. He had known their faces would have held sympathy and regret and he hadn’t wanted to feel that spiralling through their magic, so Scorpius had usually ushered them out fairly quickly. Albus held a newfound respect for those living permanently blind. It required a certain courage that he did not possess.

Albus held Scorpius to him, unable to wipe the silly grin off his face, but also unable to wake his sleeping husband. He wanted this moment all to himself for a while longer. He held Scorpius, and he knew that they would be okay.

Even as Scorpius slept, Albus realised he could still feel his magic floating and spiralling around them. In fact, he was certain he could feel his own magic intertwining with Scorpius’. They danced together like dust motes in the shimmering rays of light that poured through the window. The realisation came slowly, but Albus knew that even if the potion hadn’t worked, he still had all the light he needed. 

He hugged Scorpius tighter.

**Author's Note:**

> the chocolate frog card headcanon was a wonderful idea from penny!
> 
> Come say hi on tumblr! https://motherofmercury.tumblr.com/


End file.
